home > resources > archive ACLU of Utah Activist Email Newsletter: September 2003 In this Issue: ACLU Returns to Court in Controversy Over Free Speech in Salt Lake City’s “Main Street Plaza” Attorney General Ducks Demonstrators on Visit to Salt Lake City to Promote the PATRIOT Act ACLU House Parties and Fundraising events in September ACLU of Utah Public Education Program and upcoming events ACLU Action Alert: Support New Legislation to Fix the PATRIOT Act ACLU Returns to Court in Controversy Over Free Speech in Salt Lake City’s “Main Street Plaza” On August 7, The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah returned to court in the controversy over the LDS Church’s ability to restrict free speech rights on the city’s Main Street Plaza, saying that city officials have failed to respect a federal court ruling that the plaza is a public forum. “The city cannot simply decide that it is too much trouble to perform its basic governmental duty to regulate competing uses on a significant downtown pedestrian passage and public place,” said Dani Eyer, Executive Director of the ACLU of Utah, which filed the lawsuit together with the national ACLU. Rather than assume its obligation to regulate this space, the city acquiesced to the demands of the Church and created a powerful platform for the Church to promulgate its message on a range of social, political and religious issues while prohibiting the plaintiffs and others from sharing their own messages on the same issues in the same place and in the same manner. To read the press release and complaint filed in court, please visit http://www.acluutah.org/pr080703.htm Attorney General Ducks Demonstrators on Visit to Salt Lake City to Promote the PATRIOT Act On August 5, Attorney Ashcroft came to the Little America Hotel to promote the PATRIOT Act. Inside Ashcroft spoke to select law enforcement officials while outside over 150 demonstrators representing a wide cross section of citizens, including many ACLU supporters, raised a collective chorus saying "Bill of Rights - Yes! Patriot Act - No!" To see photographs and get more information about the ACLU’s stance on Ashcroft’s PATRIOT Act Roadshow, please visit http://www.acluutah.org/Ashcroft.htm ACLU House Parties and Fundraising events in September Thursday, Sept 4, 6 - 9 p.m. at the home of Joanne and Woody Spruance, Salt Lake City. If you would like more information and directions to this please call Reinard Knutsen, 521-9862 ext 101. Thursday, Sept 11, 6 - 9 p.m. at the home of Nancy and Sam Rushforth, Orem, Utah County. If you would like more information and directions to this please call Reinard Knutsen, 521-9862 ext 101. ACLU of Utah Public Education Program and upcoming events A major focus of our work is to educate all of Utah’s citizens about civil liberties and constitutional rights. Through speaking engagements, visits to public schools, interviews, and participation in community meetings, we inform and mobilize citizens on constitutional issues. Our hard work in the area of public education is fueled by the conviction that only when every citizen is informed of her/his rights will we be able to achieve the ideals set forth in the constitution. Our Executive Director and staff have made an effort to continuously engage the public on the importance of basic civil liberties. This interaction with our community is quite rewarding and an important aspect of our work. Below are some of the upcoming events. The ACLU will have an information table set up at the following public events: Saturday, Sept 6, at the 9th and 9th Street Festival (900 East 900 South) Sunday, Sept 7, at the American Muslim Festival, Galivan Center. Come join the celebration and enjoy safe, low cost entertainment for the whole family. This is a great occasion to get to know each other. Enjoy: Multi-ethnic savory food - meals for $5 or less; Free mult-ethnic performances and entertainment; Middle Eastern, South Asian and American vendors; Reasonably-priced unique ethnic items for sale; Alcohol free! Halal food. Free admission. For more information, phone (801) 523-8266 Saturday, Sept 13, at the Avenues Street Fair Saturday, Sept 27, at the Farmers Market for Banned Books Week Other upcoming events Sept 5, Panel Discussion, U of U College of Law, Utah Law Review Symposium, "Color of Justice, The New Face of Racial Profiling". Participants include many local and visiting law professors, judges, legislators, directors of related civil rights organizations 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Sept 15, Lecture and Discussion, University of Utah, OSH 107, 10:45 AM, Controversial Legal Issues class, "Civil Liberties: Bill of Rights vs. Government Action, How Government Responds to Crisis" Sept 16, Utah Valley State College, Democracy Project Ethics Panel, "Main Street Plaza" September 19-21,4th Annual AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL, Salt Lake City. (With special screenings on Sept. 13th and 15th)OPENING NIGHT: "The Day My God Died" A film exposing the underworld of the child sex slave trade. with a post-screening presentation by Director Andrew Levine and Producer Geralyn Dreyfous. Other films cover such topics as Women’s rights in Iran and Afghanistan, the AIDS epidemic, U.S. foreign policy and human rights abuse, corporations and sweatshop factories, Burma and refugees. For details go to www.amnestyfilmfest.org Sept 26, Utah State Bar Fall Forum, University Park Marriott, 9:00 AM to 11:15 AM, ACLU National President Nadine Strossen will speak on a panel entitled "Will September 11 change the American Constitution?" Other panelists include: Michael McConnell, Christine Durham, Michael Zimmerman, Wayne McCormack, Brooke Wells, Gil Athay, Roger Livingston. This panel discussion is open to the public for a $25 registration fee. For more information please call 297-7032 or visit www.utahbar.org/cle Sept 27, 1pm - 5pm, Families Against Mandatory Minimum (FAMM) 2003 Forum on Sentencing, Utah Law and Justice Center, 645 South 200 East, Salt Lake City. This years forum will focus on federal sentencing practices and the need for enhancing judicial discretion in sentencing. Speakers include Julie Stewart, National President of FAMM, Sr. Federal Judge Bruce Jenkins, U of U Law Professor Erik Luna, Utah Board of Pardons and Parole member Don Blanchard and SLC Defense Attorney Jerome Mooney. For more information please contact: Burt Stringfellow 363-8614 bcs@burgoyne.com November 5 Panel, Salt Lake City Public Library, Utah Library Association’s Great Issues Forum, "USA Patriot Act" 7:00 PM ACLU Action Alert: Support New Legislation to Fix the PATRIOT Act Congress has returned from summer recess and will be addressing several pieces of legislation that directly affect your right to privacy and freedom from government surveillance. The Senate will soon begin considering an important bill that responds to recent government actions and several of the PATRIOT Act’s most grievous provisions -- including one that allows government agents to conduct "sneak and peek" searches of your home or office. Not only would the bill require a higher standard of proof before allowing government access to highly private and sensitive data (such as library, bookstore and medical records), it also bans federal agencies from engaging in "data-mining" without explicit congressional authorization. This legislation would correct many of the PATRIOT Act’s flaws and protect constitutional rights threatened by other government actions. It deserves your full support. Take Action! Click here to get more information and send a free fax to your Senators: http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=13292&c=206 Return to top of page

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